CONWAY — Chris Fritzges, associate professor theatre at the University of Central Arkansas, has won a prestigious Award of Merit from The Indie Fest for his performance in the feature film, Table at Luigi’s.Fritzges portrayed Stephen in the 2009 film, the first feature-length narrative film by the UCA Digital Filmmaking program. “It is a great honor to receive this award from The Indie Fest,” Fritzges said. “I hope people will continue to enjoy this wonderful film and, by doing so, bring more attention to our top-rate digital filmmaking program at the University of Central Arkansas.”The film, shot in Conway, was written and directed by Joe Dull, assistant professor of digital filmmaking. It is a modern-day fairy tale about David, “Chef” to his friends, who creates “living dreams” for people through his cooking. That all changes for Chef the night Emily walks in and he begins to realize that the dreams he’s been creating have locked him in his own dream world.“I couldn’t be more excited about Chris getting recognized,” Dull said. “He’s fantastic to work with — in fact, I’m writing my next film for him to star in. He’s great on set and great on the screen — what more could you ask for? “Table at Luigi’s was honored for “Best in Show” at the Indie Fest in La Jolla, Calif., last fall.The Indie Fest recognizes film professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, and those who produce standout entertainment or contribute to profound social change. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film industry. Information about The Indie Fest and a list of recent winners can be found at www.theindiefest.com.In winning an Indie, Fritzges joins the ranks of other high-profile winners of this internationally respected award.“The Indie is not an easy award to win,” said Thomas Baker, Ph.D., who chairs The Indie Fest. “Entries are received from around the world. The Indie helps set the standard for craft and creativity. The judges were pleased with the exceptionally high quality of entries. The goal of The Indie is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve.”For more information, contact Fritzges at (501) 450-3679 or fritzges@uca.edu or visit the Table at Luigi’s website at www.tableatluigis.com.-30-